VCU ATHLETICS RELEASES “VCU RISING”, A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

Jul 17, 2013

RICHMOND, Va. – Seeking to build on one of the most
successful periods in the department’s 45-year history, VCU
Athletics released its new five-year strategic plan, “VCU
Rising: The Black & Gold Standard”, Wednesday.

"VCU Athletics has enjoyed unprecedented success this year in
many areas. ‘VCU Rising: The Black & Gold Standard’
will help us continue to elevate our national brand and create
sustainable success at an elite level nationally,” Director
of Athletics Ed McLaughlin said. “Our focus
remains on our student-athletes who wear the VCU uniform every day
and our plans to provide them, along with our coaches and staff,
the ability to succeed and achieve."

The trip to the 2011 Final Four in men’s basketball was a
galvanizing moment for VCU Athletics, and the national acclaim
gained through that milestone showered attention on the entire
university.

Since that time, the Rams have burst onto the national scene,
and several sports are poised for sustainable achievement at an
elite level nationally. This success has served to further enhance
the university’s brand and heighten VCU’s national
profile.

VCU’s strategic plan, “Quest for Distinction”,
provides the framework for achieving the university’s vision
of being a premier urban public research university focused on
student success. That plan calls for pursuit of excellence across
the university – including Athletics.

Correspondingly, “VCU Rising: The Black & Gold
Standard” offers an aggressive strategic plan that outlines
the requirements for achieving a vision of being recognized as a
premier NCAA Division I athletic department. This plan incorporates
strategies that enable VCU to effectively position itself within an
extremely fluid Division I environment, all while supporting the
university’s overarching goals.

“When we talk about elevating the national profile of
Virginia Commonwealth University, we are talking about elevating it
in all areas, and that certainly includes intercollegiate
athletics,” VCU President Michael Rao said.
“Athletics is an important window into a university for many
people, and I am so proud that my colleagues in Athletics, led by
Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin, are bringing such renown to VCU.
The nation has taken note that in 2012-2013, the Rams had the
highest combined winning percentage of any university in the state,
the highest student-athlete GPA in university history, the two
largest philanthropic gifts in VCU Athletics history, and the
largest revenue generated in university history.

“This is only the beginning; this thoughtful strategic
plan serves as the solid foundation upon which we will continue to
build an athletics program that is strong, diverse, focused on
excellence and a critical component of a rapidly rising national
research university.”

Inherent to athletics prominence in Division I is a continued
focus on the academic success and the well-being of VCU’s
student-athletes. Ensuring an inclusive climate and promoting
campus and community partnerships are also cornerstones of the
future of VCU Athletics.

The eight themes in the plan delineate the priorities, steps and
resources required for VCU Athletics to succeed in the classroom
and competitively, as well as engaging the university and Richmond
communities.